This invention concerns a process and a means for burning solid fuels, in particular coal, turf or the like in pulverized form, which are introduced into a combustion chamber and form a recirculating flow configuration which is limited by a rotating outer air flow. For this purpose the outer air flow is blown into the combustion chamber through an air entrance concentrically surrounding the fuel entrance, and the air entrance comprises swirl elements which set the air flow in rotation.
The aim of the present invention is in particular to ensure as complete and emission-free burning of the above-mentioned solid fuels as possible when they are mixed with a carrier liquid, such as water and/or oil or the like to thereby form an emulsion and are injected into the combustion chamber. Usually, such a fuel emulsion is injected through a tuyere-like opening in the combustion chamber and then forms a solid cone of fuel which hardly opens up, with the result that the combustion is carried out in a relatively long jet flame and is accordingly incomplete due to the resulting relatively small free fuel surface. Moreover, very long combustion chambers are necessary.